The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-257307 filed on Aug. 28, 2001, the entire contents thereof being hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a small craft. More specifically, the present invention relates to a small water craft in which the vessel body is constructed by joining a hull and a deck at their peripheral edges with respect to each other
2. Description of Background Art
Heretofore, as shown in FIG. 6, a small craft has been constructed with a vessel body in which a hull 1 and a deck 2 are joined (for example, adhered by adhesive agent) at their peripheral edges 1a, 2a, and a rail-shaped side protector 3, or protector strip, is attached on the periphery thereof.
In the small craft as described above, in order to enhance the joint between the hull 1 and the deck 2 that constitute the vessel body 4, their peripheral edges 1a, 2a are preferably joined with each other using fasteners such as self-tapping screws or rivets. In addition, in order to reduce the number of assembling steps, it is preferable to join the protector strip 3 together with the peripheral edges 1a, 2a of the hull 1 and the deck 2 with the aforementioned self-tapping screws or rivets.
In the case where the protector strip 3 and the peripheral edges 1a, 2a of the hull and deck are joined together by means of the self-tapping screws or the rivets, it is necessary to determine the positions of the fasteners, and this is conventionally done by forming a positioning hole 3b on the outer surface 3a of the protector strip 3 at the suitable position in the X-direction (widthwise direction of the protector strip 3) and in the Y-direction (lengthwise direction of the protector strip 3) as shown in FIG. 6(b). When employing a self-tapping screw, it can be driven into the positioning hole 3b with its tip aligned thereon, while rivets can driven into the through hole by placing the tip of a drilling tool (a drill or the like) on the positioning hole 3b to form a through hole (a hole extending through the protector strip 3 and the peripheral edges 1a, 2a of the hull and the deck) and driving the rivet therein.
However, forming positioning holes 3b for self-tapping screws or rivets on the outer surface 3a of the protector strip 3 for every fastener position requires a large number of steps.
An object of the present invention is to solve the problem described above, and to provide a small craft in which the hull and deck can be firmly joined and the protector strip can also be attached by a small number of steps, and the locations for self-tapping screws or rivets can be marked on the protector strip by a small number of steps.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a small craft is constructed by the steps of joining a hull and a deck at the peripheral edges thereof with respect to each other, placing a rail-shaped side protector, or protector strip, circumferentially thereof, and integrating the protector strip and the peripheries of the hull and the deck with self-tapping screws or rivets; the protector strip is formed with a positioning groove for the self-tapping screws or the rivets on the outer surface thereof along the length thereof.
Also, to achieve the aforementioned object, the protector strip is advantageously formed of extruded material.
Since the vessel body is constructed by joining the hull and the deck at the peripheral edges thereof, placing the protector strip circumferentially thereof, and integrating the protector strip and the peripheral edges of the hull and the deck with self-tapping screws or rivets, the joint between the hull and the deck can be strengthened, and the protector strip can be attached with a small number of steps.
Since the protector strip is formed with a positioning groove for the self-tapping screws or the rivets on the outer surface thereof along the length thereof, the locations for the self-tapping screws or the rivets can be marked on the protector strip by a smaller number of steps compared to marking the locations without the benefit of the positioning groove. (See the reference numeral and sign 3b in FIG. 6(b).)
In other words, with the protector strip of the present invention, locations for the self-tapping screws or the rivets can be determined simply along the length of the positioning groove.
Though simply forming the positioning groove along the length of the protector strip does not ensure high accuracy of the spacing, or intervals, of the self-tapping screws or the rivets installed through the protector strip along the length thereof, the accuracy of the intervals of the self-tapping screws or the rivets driven along the length thereof will not be a problem in terms of the construction of the vessel body. In other words, the high positional accuracy of the locations for the self-tapping screws or the rivets is required in the widthwise direction of the protector strip, and the widthwise positions for the self-tapping screws or the rivets can be set out with a high degree of accuracy using the protector strip of the present invention.
Thus, the hull and the deck can be firmly joined, and simultaneously the protector strip can be attached thereon with a small number of steps, and furthermore, the locations for the self-tapping screws or the rivets may be determined on the protector strip with a smaller number of steps.
Since the protector strip is formed of extruded material, the positioning groove can be formed simultaneously with extrusion. Therefore, it is not necessary to form the positioning groove for the self-tapping screw or the rivets after manufacturing the protector strip.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.